Interpretive Summary: A new grape genomic database was established for ‘Native American Grapes’. The new database hosts genetic information collected from disease tolerant/resistant grapevine endemic to North America, and is a valuable resource for the Viticulture industries. Grape breeding is a long-drawn out process which can take 15 years or more to produce one new variety. Genome assisted breeding can accelerate the breeding process by providing the construction of genomic tools, such as genetic markers, to speed up the selection process, thus cutting years off the breeding and selection of new grape varieties. The “Vitigene database”, was developed based on the IBM Content Manager Platform as a collaborative effort between researchers at Florida A&M University, and the agricultural research service, ARS (http://vitigene.famu.edu:9082/eclient/ IDMLogon2.jsp). The database is a genetic resource, which includes genetic sequences linked to many desirable grapevine traits, disease resistance and fruit quality for Native American grapes. Diseases are a limiting factor for the growth of non-native grapes throughout the southeastern United States. For example, Pierce’s disease limits the production of European grapes ‘Vitis vinifera’ in most of the southeastern U.S. New varieties of European grapevine could be grown throughout the U.S. if the disease resistance of native North American grape species such as ‘Vitis shuttleworthii, V aestivalis, V. riparia and V. rotundifolia’ were incorporated. The recent development and availability of these large numbers of genetic sequences makes molecular approaches more realistic than ever before. The new database hosted at the Center for Viticulture at FAMU also provides a unique resource that attracts students to FAMU to study and conduct research in bioinformatics and genomics. The collaboration with ARS supports national objectives to improve grapevine, and the creation of new varieties with increased disease and insect resistance, to maintain a sustainable, vigorous viticulture industry.

Technical Abstract:
A new grape genomic database was established for ‘Native American Grape Species’ as a genomic resource (http://vitigene.famu.edu:9082/eclient/ IDMLogon2.jsp). The new database hosts genetic information collected from disease tolerant/resistant grapevine endemic to North America, and is a valuable resource for the Viticulture industries. Grape breeding is a long-drawn out process which can take 15 years or more to produce one new variety. Marker-assisted breeding can accelerate the breeding process by providing the construction of genomic tools, such as genetic markers linked to desirable traits which are then used to screen seedlings to speed up the selection process, thus cutting years off the breeding and selection process. The “Vitigene database”, was developed and built on the IBM Content Manager Platform as a collaborative effort between researchers at Florida A&M University, and the agricultural research service, ARS. The database is a genetic resource, which includes genetic sequences linked to many desirable grapevine traits, such as disease resistance and fruit quality for Native American grapes. Diseases are a limiting factors for the growth of non-native grapes throughout the southeastern United States. For example, Pierce’s disease limits the production of European grapes ‘Vitis vinifera’ in most of the southeastern U.S. New varieties of European grapevine could be grown throughout the U.S. if these disease resistance genes from native North American grapes like ‘Vitis shuttleworthii, V aestivalis, V. riparia and V. rotundifolia’ were incorporated. The recent development and availability of these large numbers of genetic sequences makes molecular approaches more realistic than ever before. The new database hosted at the Center for Viticulture at FAMU also provides a unique resource that attracts students to FAMU to study and conduct research in bioinformatics and genomics. The grape database produced from these collaborations with ARS supports national objectives to improve grapevine, and the creation of new varieties with increased disease and insect resistance, to maintain a sustainable, vigorous viticulture industry.